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| (Image Source: PocketGamer.biz/Games For Change) |
At the 2024 Games For Change Festival, Games For Change (G4C), in partnership with HP and Google Play, announced the winners of the second annual Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge, an initiative to improve representation and increase visibility for underrepresented game developers in the mobile gaming industry. Four mobile games from independent studios in the U.S., Europe and Africa received awards for innovative stories, highly engaging gameplay, and real-world impact.
G4C also announced that the third annual Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge is now open for submissions until September 6, 2024. While in the past, the Challenge was focused on supporting creators with games that have not yet been released, the next edition of the program will support creators in bringing existing games from other platforms to Android where they can reach over 3 billion active devices worldwide. The Challenge will award up to three winners with a $15,000 cash prize, guidance on porting their existing games to Android, and marketing opportunities through G4C and their global network. “There are so many voices and stories that remain underrepresented in the gaming industry and the content it creates. We’re excited to bring the Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge back for a third time, as part of Games for Change’s commitment to increasing access to funding and resources for marginalized creators," said G4C President Susanna Pollack.
“The Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge is a testament to the power of creativity and representation in the gaming industry. By supporting underrepresented creators and amplifying their voices, we are fostering a more inclusive, and innovative community that benefits us all. HP is proud to support initiatives like this as part of our aim to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030," said HP Global Head of Social Impact and HP Foundation Director Michele Malejki. In 2024, G4C received submissions from 24 different countries on five different continents, highlighting the program’s global reach. The winning game, “Button City” by Subliminal Gaming, was chosen by a jury of industry experts who assessed each submission’s impact, innovation, gameplay, and overall ‘wow’ factor. “Button City” was featured at the G4C Arcade during the 2024 Games For Change Festival where it was exhibited alongside other impact games and immersive experiences for industry experts, enthusiasts, and a global audience interested in using games to drive real-world change. The games and teams recognized with awards and honorable mentions this year include:
Challenge Winner - Button City
Button City is a cozy narrative adventure game about a fox and his friends banding together to save their local arcade. Explore a diorama world, play exciting arcade games, complete quirky quests, and meet cute animal friends.
Developed By Subliminal Gaming (United States), co-founded by an Indigenous woman artist and strives to highlight team members’ distinct worldviews as women and indigenous people. Additionally, the team actively works to highlight diverse voices and foster learning in their communities by teaching game development to Indigenous youth and translating their games into the Navajo language.
Best In Innovation - Don't Forget
Recollect your memories by looking for clues and playing brain-stimulating minigames while battling the effects of dementia. Explore three different key events of your life to figure out what has happened.
Developed By Digital Arts And Entertainment (Belgium) consisting of students from different nationalities, backgrounds, and genders. Through innovative mechanics, they provide a unique perspective on dementia.
Best In Impact - Songs of Travel
An animated graphic novel exploring the unique stories of five migrants seeking new beginnings in Europe.
Developed By Causa Creations (Austria) consisting of a diverse team of cultural backgrounds, skills, and genders, focusing on creating social impact games and highlighting underrepresented stories and voices.
Best In Gameplay - Puzzle Scout
A word search game based on great African history, revisiting the historic chain of African countries, civilizations, and tribes with young puzzle scouts.
Developed By Leti Arts (Ghana), renowned for developing interactive content influenced by African history, folklore, and culture, leveraging African talent to immerse players in African heritage.
The winning team at Subliminal Gaming received a US$10,000 cash prize, hardware from HP, HyperX gaming peripherals, mentorship and marketing support to launch their game on the Google Play store, and promotional support from G4C. As part of the Challenge, 4C also provided learning and professional development opportunities for underrepresented creators, including a Game Design Sprint at the Games For Change Africa Festival on December 2024. During this event, teams developed game concepts related to the theme of “uplifting voices” and presented them to a panel of regional experts. For more information on the Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge and to view all the winning entries, visit the Challenge webpage at www.gamesforchange.org.
